BOOK III. XIX. 3-xx. 3 



together and intermingled, one with another. We 

 shall deal first with the question first proposed. 



XX. It is, then, the part of a wise farmer to 

 plant that vine which he especially approves, with no 

 shoot of any other sort standing between, and always 

 to increase the number of that vine as far as possible. 

 But it is also the part of a man of foresight to set out 

 different kinds as well. For there is never a year 

 so mild and temperate as not to inflict some injury 

 upon some variety of the vine : if it is dry, that kind 

 which thrives on moisture is damaged; if rainy, that 

 which delights in dry weather ; if cold and frosty, 

 that which cannot endure blighting cold ; or if hot, 

 that which cannot bear heat. And, not to run 2 

 through, at this time, a thousand rigours of the 

 weather, there is always something to work harm 

 to vineyards. Therefore, if we plant but one kind, 

 when that thing happens which is hurtful to that 

 kind, we shall be deprived of the whole vintage ; 

 for he who is without plants of different sorts will 

 have no reserve supply. But if we make plantings 3 

 of various kinds of vines, some of them will escape 

 injury to produce a yield. And yet this reason should 

 not force us to many varieties of vines : but what we 

 have judged to be an extraordinary variety, that we 

 should produce in as great numbers as possible ; 

 then that which is next to the first choice, and after 

 that the kind which is of third or even fourth rank. 

 So far let us be content with a sort of quartet, so to 

 speak, of champion vines ; for it is quite enough to 



' athletarum Schn. : letarum SacM : laetarum A : lec- 

 tanim vulgo. 



^" sic Gesn., Schn. : tetradeo vett. edd. : tetartaeo Aid. : 

 conten simus tetra deo S : contempsimus tetradeo AacJil. 



337 



